


A series of happy events

by Starliam



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:21:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22114795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starliam/pseuds/Starliam
Summary: Exactly like the title says. A series of happy events happens in 1927 - 1928, after the movie ends. Of course, Thomas will have his work to do...
Relationships: Anna Bates/John Bates, Phyllis Baxter/Joseph Molesley, Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Comments: 32
Kudos: 122





	1. A happy news

"What!? How?! Why?!"  
Thomas looked at Baxter with shocked, wide eyes. In front of him, Phyllis looked calm as usual, before speaking in her normal, relaxed voice."Well, for the what, I think we already covered that. For the how, I think you know how these things work. And for the why... there isn't really a why. It just happened". Baxter ended the sentence with a small, shy smile.  
Thomas kept looking at her with the same, stunned expression. "It happened because you made it happen".  
"Thomas, don't talk to me like that. I'm not a young girl. Besides, I was hoping to get some congratulations from you".  
That seemed to shake the butler. "Well, but of course! Congratulations, it's wonderful news! I'm sorry, I'm just... I didn't expect that".  
"Clearly", said Ms. Baxter, a little cold.  
"What are you going to do?"  
The lady's maid smiled warmly again. "Exactly what we were already planning, but a little earlier. Instead of getting married in the summer, we'll do it in the spring. Hopefully before I will start showing. But, honestly... I don't really care that much of keeping it a secret".  
Thomas smiled, for the first time. "What Molesley said?"  
Baxter's eyes were bright, while talking about her fiancé. "Oh, he's so so happy. He wanted to marry me right away, but I told him I still wanted a classic, happy wedding".  
"Did you tell Her Ladyship?"  
"Not yet. But I'll have to soon. The doctor said everything is fine, but I'm not young anymore. I need to be careful and to rest. I will need to take it easy in the next few months, so I will have to talk to her. But I don't think she will be happy".

Instead, Her Ladyship was very happy. So happy that she gave the news to the whole family that very same day, at dinner.  
"What?!" exclaimed Lord Grantham. "But... how old is she?"  
"Robert!" answered Lady Grantham, her eyes wide with surprise at the rude question of her husband. Thomas could see Lady Mary and Tom Branson exchanging an amused look.  
"No, I meant..." said again Lord Grantham. "She is not that young anymore..."  
Thomas decided to take Lord Grantham out of his embarrassing moment, and got closer to the table with the carafe of red wine. While serving it to His Lordship, he started talking. "I think I can answer that, My Lord. She is old enough that she thought she wouldn't be able to have a baby anymore. That's why they... didn't really think to this particular possibility".  
"Well, obviously," said Robert again, with a thankful glance to the butler, who smiled a little.  
"Are they going to get married?" asked Henry, taking some salmon with his fork.  
"Yes, of course," answered Cora. "They wanted to get married in the summer, but now they are anticipating it to the spring. They don't know the date yet".  
"Why not now?" asked Robert, a little confused. Clearly, in his mind a couple who was expecting a child had to get married right away.  
"Molesley proposed it to her," said Cora. "But she still wants to have a nice wedding, not just a few minutes at the registrar followed by some kind of small lunch in a pub. It's her first and hopefully only wedding, she wants to have a nice day".  
Robert shrugged: he clearly wasn't that much interested.  
"We should have them have their wedding here, if they want to", proposed Lady Mary, smiling. "Like we proposed to Carson and Mrs. Hughes. What do you think?"  
"It's a wonderful idea, darling. I will tell her tomorrow afternoon, when I'll see her again".  
"Not in the morning?"  
"No. I would like her to take it easy, since it's her first baby and... well... she is not that young anymore", she finished her sentence with a strict glance to her husband, who was too focused on his dinner to notice. "I told her I will need her only to get ready for dinner and in the afternoon. So she can sleep a little more".  
"That is very nice, mama".  
Cora smiled. "If I'll need some help, I will ask Anna, maybe. What do you think?"  
Mary was silent for a moment, swallowing a mouthful of vegetables. "Actually, mama, I don't think it's a good idea".  
Cora looked surprised. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."  
"No, no, it's fine. It's just... I gave Anna some free time for the same reason".  
Thomas almost dropped the carafe of wine. What?


	2. Another happy news

"May I talk to you for a second, Barrow?"  
The voice of Tom Branson startled the butler, that was sitting in his pantry, mulling over the different news he had received that day. He still had to process the fact that Anna was expecting, and she had not told him yet. How was he supposed to take care of the other employees if they didn't tell him such important things?  
"Oh, sure, Sir," answered Thomas, jumping from the chair to stand.  
"Oh, don't worry", said Branson again. "Sit. I'm in your pantry, after all".  
Thomas kept standing, and forced himself to smile. How Branson still didn't understand how some things worked, it was a mystery to him. "It's not a problem, Sir. But you know that you could have rung for me".  
"Yes, I know. But I didn't want to bother you too much".  
"You are very kind, Sir".  
Branson seemed uncomfortable. He always looked like that when he and Thomas were together. It wasn't something that Thomas could fix, anyway.  
"Yes... Thank you, Barrow. I.... I wanted to tell you something".  
Nothing. Branson stopped talking and looked at him. Thomas hoped his impatience wasn't showing on his face. He really had a lot of things to do.  
"I really preferred if we both could sit, Barrow".  
Damn. Thomas nodded and sat back on his chair, while Tom was sitting on the closest one. Thomas started feeling slightly worried. Was something wrong? Why Branson looked so serious and uncomfortable?  
"Is everything alright, Sir?" asked the butler.  
"Yes. Yes, it is. I just.... I know that you will have some very busy months ahead. With two maids that can't work full time, and Baxter's wedding, and Mrs. Levinson's visit from America... I'm sorry to add something else for you to take care of".  
Thomas looked at him, uncertain. What was he talking about?  
"I'm not sure I understand, Sir".  
"Of course. Well, I haven't told you yet. I haven't told anyone, really. Only Lady Mary knows about it. I... Well, there is going to be another wedding in the spring".  
"Another..." Suddenly, realization dawned on the butler, who opened his mouth and eyes wide. "You mean your wedding, Sir! Are you...?"  
Finally, Branson smiled. A big, happy smiled that made his eyes brighter. "Yes, I am. Me and Miss Lucy are getting married".  
It was a great news. Thomas couldn't help but feeling happy for him. While he didn't particularly like Branson, he didn't wish him any bad. And he had to admit that Branson was always kind with everyone, even with him. Miss Lucy was really nice. She had spent different evenings and days at the Abbey, as Branson's "friend", and everybody liked her. Even if she was a maid, everyone at the Abbey had figured out the real reason why she was going to inherit Brampton Estate. Oh, well.  
"Congratulation, Sir. I am happy for you. Truly".  
"Thank you, Barrow. I only wanted to tell you, because it is something else for you to take care of in a very busy time. Are you going to be able to do it?"  
Thomas' face hardened. Of course. Branson thought Thomas couldn't do it. "I'm sure I am, Sir. But if you prefer, you can ask Mr. Carson if he can help..."  
Tom shook his head, interrupting him. "No, no. I don't want to ask Carson. I want you to organize my wedding".  
The butler felt his anger disappear. Really? "Are you sure, Sir?"  
"Of course I am. I know that you will do a great job. I... I am fond of Carson, of course. But we had our differences, and I don't feel too comfortable around him".  
"And you feel comfortable around me?" For Thomas, it was almost unbelievable.  
"Yes. I have known you for a long time, and I know that you are perfectly capable of organizing a wedding. I told Mary she was wrong in calling Carson back for the royal visit. I didn't think it was necessary. But from what I know, it was better for you to have that night free, in the end". Branson smiled cheekily, and Thomas paled. How did he...?  
"How do you know?" he asked, forgetting every formality.  
Branson's smile disappeared. He probably didn't expect that reaction from Thomas. "I don't remember, really. I just know. But don't worry. I was just joking. I'm happy for you".  
Thomas composed himself again. "Sure. Thanks, Sir. I will gladly take care of your wedding with Miss Lucy".  
Branson smiled again. "Thank you, Barrow. We have to set the date yet, but it will take place at the Abbey. It won't be religious, but the reception will be here".  
"That's good to know, Sir. Thanks".  
After a while, Branson left, and Thomas was again by himself in his pantry, mulling over something else. Who did he have to kill for telling about him and Richard?


	3. A difficult conversation

The next day, Thomas went to his pantry after lunch, to write some orders. But he was going to have a surprise: sitting at his desk, there was little Miss Sybbie, who was drawing on a sheet of paper with the colors that Thomas kept there for her and the other kids.  
"Hello, Miss Sybbie," said Thomas, with a big smile. "I wasn't expecting you".  
The kid looked at him with a sad little face, and went back to drawing. Thomas sat next to her, and before he could say anything, she said: "I'm sad".  
"I can see that, Miss Sybbie. May I ask you why?"  
The kid was silent for a moment, focused on her drawing. So, Thomas asked again: "Did you have a fight with Master George?"  
Sybbie shook her head, without rising her head from the drawing. Then, she answered. "My dad is marrying Miss Lucy".  
Now it was Thomas' turn to stay silent for a few seconds. "I understand. May I ask you why this makes you sad? I thought you liked her."  
Sybbie looked at him, like pondering her answer. "He will not have more time for me. He always said he loved more than anything else".  
Thomas smiled fondly at the kid. "Miss Sybbie... Your dad will always have time for you. The fact that he is marrying Miss Lucy will not change anything between you and him. Me and you dad... have never been close friends. But I've known him for a long time, and I can tell you: he really does love you more than anything".  
"But why he has to marry her?" The kid's lower lip quivered, and she looked ready to cry.  
"Well, Miss Sybbie... let's see... It can be complicated to explain, but... sometimes, when you grow up, you feel the need of having a special companion next to you. A wife or a husband, to share your life with. That is what is happening to your dad and Miss Lucy. They found each other, and they felt that they wanted to live together in the future. Like... your aunt Mary married Mr Henry. And your grandpa has your grandma. And Anna has Mr. Bates. Now your dad will have Miss Lucy".  
Sybbie lowered her eyes on her drawing. "My dad had my mum".  
Thomas heart skipped a beat. It was getting a very complicated conversation to have with a seven year old. "Yes... he did. But your mum has not been with us for years now. Your dad is ready to be with somebody else. That doesn't mean that he loves your mum memory any less, and definitely it doesn't mean that he will love you any less".  
Sybbie looked like she was thinking it over. "Will they have kids?" she asked again.  
Thomas sighed a little. "Maybe. It's a possibility. And you will be a big sister. Would you like it? You are great with Miss Caroline, Master George and little Johnny. If you had your own little brother or little sister, you could teach them all the things you have learned in these years. You will be a role model forever, for him or her".  
Sybbies looked perplexed. At least she wasn't on the verge of tears anymore. "I don't know, Mr Barrow".  
Thomas was silent for a few seconds. "Try to see it like this, Miss Sybbie", he said after a while. "Now you and your dad are happy. You are happy with him, and he is happy with you. But... if he marries Miss Lucy, he will be even happier. And you will be too, because you will have a new friend, and you and her will be very close, especially when you grow up. And Miss Lucy will be happy too, because she will have you and your dad, while now she doesn't have her own family. And if there will be other kids... well, they will be very happy, because they will be born in a family full of happiness. See? Everybody will be happy!"  
Sybbie smiled a little. "I understand. But then... Why are you not married, Mr. Barrow?"  
Thomas couldn't hide his stunned expression, but the years of experience as a butler helped him in regaining his composure.  
"Well... There isn't a real reason. I just have not found the right person, yet. See, you need to be sure of what you're doing... getting married is an important thing. You need to be absolutely sure. And I haven't found the right person for me".  
Sybbie nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds complicated... will I marry someone, Mr. Barrow?"  
"If you'll want to, yes, Miss Sybbie. The boy that will be your husband will be the luckiest one on earth".  
The kid looked at him, smiling. "I want to marry you, Mr. Barrow!"  
Thomas laughed, surprised. "I'm flattered, Miss Sybbie, really. But I'm afraid it won't be possible".  
The kid frowned. "Why not?"  
"Well... first of all, you are too young to get married yet. And anyway, I am too old for you. Far too old".  
Sybbie seemed to accept that explanation, because she didn't ask anything more. "I think I feel better now, Mr. Barrow. Thank you".  
"I'm glad. Now let's go back to the nursery, it's almost time for tea".

Later, when the kids were brought to the library after tea, Sybbie ran to hug her father.  
"Oh, hello, my darling," said Tom, picking her up. "I see that you are not angry at me anymore".  
Sybbie smiled. "No, I'm not. Mr. Barrow helped me".  
Tom smiled again. "Mr. Barrow? Well, I'm glad to see that you are happy again".  
"And I am happy that you and Miss Lucy will be happy together".  
Tom kissed the little girl on the forehead, before letting her down so that she could go play with her cousins.  
"I've decided that I'll marry Mr Barrow, when I'm big".  
Mary, who was playing with Caroline, laughed, while Tom coughed. "Ba... Does Barrow know?" he asked.  
"Yes. But he said he's too old for me".  
Mary and Tom exchanged an amused look. "I'm afraid he's right, Sybbie", said Tom.  
"I don't care. You say it only because he is the butler. But you were the chauffeur when you married mum".  
Tom and Mary looked at each other again, Tom slightly alarmed. "No... Sybbie, I don't mind that he is the butler..."  
Luckily, Mary interrupted him, smiling at the little girl. "Let's say something, Sybbie. If, when you are old enough, you will still want to marry Barrow, then we can talk about it".  
Sybbie smiled, happy, and Mary looked at Tom with a satisfied expression.


	4. A clarification and an anticipation

When Anna went to talk to Thomas, she found him in his pantry, sitting at his desk.  
"So, Mr. Barrow... I heard that you are engaged to a seven year old!" she said, smiling.  
But Thomas looked at her with a sour face. "It looks like everyone is talking about my love life".  
Anna was surprised. "No, I... Lady Mary told me that Miss Sybbie said..."  
"I'm not talking about Miss Sybbie," Thomas interrupted her. "I'm talking about me and Richard".  
Anna was clearly perplexed. "You and Richard? What are you talking about?"  
"Somebody went around talking about me and Richard. Do you have any idea of whom it might be?"  
"I don't understand... What happened?"  
"Mr Branson knows about me and Richard. He congratulated me", answered Thomas in a voice that sounded outraged, more than relieved.  
Anna sighed. "I'm sorry. Lady Mary was asking about you, and I... I only said that I thought you had found someone. She just guessed who it was, I think".  
"And of course she had to tell Branson," said Thomas, shaking his head.  
"You know... they won't do anything, of course".  
"Maybe. Or maybe your dear Lady Mary already told it to a bunch of other people".  
It was Anna's turn to shake her head. "I really don't think so. No, she wouldn't do that".  
"Mmm. Fine. Let's see... why you didn't tell me that you are expecting?"  
Anna opened her eyes wide, shocked. "What... how do you..."  
"Take a guess. Your best friend, Lady Mary, told everyone during dinner, yesterday".  
Anna sighed. "I see".  
Thomas raised his eyebrows, gesturing towards the chair next to him, to invite her to sit. Then, he spoke again: "So? Why you didn't tell me?"  
"I just... it was too early. I didn't feel like I had to".  
Thomas' lips became a thin line: a clear sign that he was displeased.  
"No? You know I am the butler, right? I am responsible for the other servants. If you need any accomodation, or anything like that..."  
"I already spoke to Lady Mary. She gave me everything I need".  
Thomas didn't answer for a few second. "I see".  
Anna sighed again. Really, sometimes he was acting like a child angry because his little friends didn't play with him."I didn't tell you, or anyone else besides Lady Mary because... my pregnancies have always been a little difficult".  
Thomas frowned. "Pregnancies?" he asked.  
"Yes. See, before having Johnnie I got pregnant. At least other two or three times. And... it never worked out. So, this time I only wanted to be sure before telling everyone".  
"Oh". Thomas lowered his eyes on the desk. "Great. Now I feel like a jerk".  
Anna smiled. "There is no reason, Mr. Barrow. I understand your position; and I wouldn't want to create any difficulty for you".  
"But now... everything is going to be fine?" asked Thomas again.  
Anna inclined her head on a side. "It looks like, yes. I will have to go to London next week, to see a doctor... but apart from that, everything should be fine".  
Thomas smiled. "Good. I'm happy about it. And congratulations".  
Anna's eyes were bright with happiness. "Thank you, Mr. Barrow. But... I also came to tell you something else".  
"Let me guess... Is Daisy pregnant too?"  
Anna laughed, shaking her head. "No, no. Or at least, not that I know of. But she and Andy have decided to have the wedding celebration at Mr. Mason's farm".  
"Mmm. Nice. So, Baxter and Molesley are going to have it here, and so is Mr. Branson. While for Daisy we will have to bring everything at the farm. Alright, I think we can manage that".  
"I'm sure we can", said Anna, reassuring.  
"And anyway, Mr. Branson's wedding is going to be much later than the other two, so we'll have more time to do everything we need".  
Oh, how wrong he was.


	5. Something unexpected

"Barrow... I need to talk to you".  
Again, Thomas jumped to his feet. Why, why, Tom Branson insisted on surprising him in his pantry?  
"Yes, sir. Do you need something?"  
Then, Thomas looked at Tom and the professional smile disappeared from his face: Branson was pale and looked very serious.  
"Is everything alright, sir? Do you need to sit?" he asked.  
"No, no... It's just... There has been a development about my wedding".  
For the past couple of weeks, Thomas and the others were busy organizing the different weddings. The first one was Daisy's and Andy's that was quickly coming up. But Thomas knew that Mrs. Patmore was already taking care of the wedding cake for Branson's wedding. She really wanted to do a great job. Now, what was this development? Maybe they broke up and called it off?  
"I'm listening, sir", said Thomas, since Branson had stopped talking.  
Tom sighed. "I know that we were planning it for two months from now... but... we have to anticipate it . A lot. Let's say... two weeks from now. Or even less, possibly".  
What??  
"I'm sorry, sir. What?"  
Branson sighed again, but a smile crept to his face. "Yes. You heard me right. We need to get married as soon as possible".  
Thomas opened his mouth and eyes, wide. As realization dawned upon him, he felt like the world hated him.  
"Oh... I'm sorry, sir, I need to sit", he said, while Branson started smiling openly. He was clearly happy.  
"Of course, of course. I'll sit too".  
"But... ehm..."  
"I'm really sorry, Barrow. I mean... I'm not really sorry, I'm very happy at the idea of having another child. But I'm sorry to create all these problems. The thing is... There is no urgency, actually, since the doctor said that Lucy is of almost three months. So we can't pretend that we conceived during the wedding night". Tom chuckled.  
The butler looked at him, stunned. "No... no, I don't think you can".  
"But... I don't want to disappoint Lord Grantham".  
"Have you told him?"  
"Yes. He is not disappointed... of course he is happy for me. And he said he feels like he is becoming a grandad again, which was very sweet. But he can be a little old fashioned, you know him. He was adamant that we need to marry as soon as possible. He has been really nice to me... I don't want to give him a problem over something like this".  
"I understand, sir".  
Tom smiled again. That reminded Thomas of something that he should have said already.  
"Congratulations, sir. I'm really happy for you and Miss Lucy".  
The smile on Branson's face became bigger and brighter. It looked like his whole face had become a giant smile.  
"Thank you, Barrow. I can't wait to be a father again".  
"I'm sure, sir. Although... I'm pretty sure Mrs. Patmore will have a heart attack, when I tell her".  
Tom looked suddenly a little scared. "Oh no. Was she working a lot on my wedding? Don't answer, I'm sure she was. Do you want me to tell her?"  
"No, sir. Thank you. I will".  
"We don't need anything fancy. Please, remind her. We'll just have a short ceremony at the city hall, and then lunch here. It can be a buffet, nothing elaborate".  
Yes, sure. There was no way that Mrs. Patmore was doing "nothing elaborate" for Branson's wedding.  
"You're very kind, sir. I'll bring her the message".  
With a last smile, Tom got up and started walking towards the door of the pantry. But he stopped with his hand on the handle, and turned to face Thomas.  
"Barrow... there is another thing that I want to tell you".  
Oh, God, what now?  
"Please, sir, I'm listening".  
Tom got closer to him again. "I want to really thank you for what you are doing. I know it can't be easy. I would like to do something nice for you, as a way of thanking you".  
Thomas felt a warm feeling in his chest. All the family members were nice to him, but it wasn't usual that they wanted to thank him with something tangible, just for doing his job.  
"You are incredible kind, sir. But there is no need. I'm doing my job".  
"You are doing more than your job, Barrow. You are organizing... what? Three weddings? Plus everything else that is going on. I wanted to tell you... that if you'd like, you can invite Mr. Ellis to my wedding".  
Thomas was stunned again. "Mr. Ellis...?"  
"Yes. Mr. Ellis. You know, your..." Tom blushed, and Thomas interrupted him.  
"Yes. No, I know".  
"Exactly. I know he works at Buckingham Palace, and he must be very busy, but you can ask him if he can come. If he could stay for a little more, I could also give you a few free days, to spend with him. You deserve it, really".  
Thomas was moved. He swallowed, and then he answered: "Thank you, sir. I will write him today".  
"Good. I hope he can come".


	6. An outburst

"What the hell is Mac and Cheese?"  
Thomas was surprised by Mrs. Patmore's tone. It was true that she wasn't the best at taking news, but he didn't expect her to be so vehement about it.  
"Is... this one... This is the recipe that Mrs. Levinson sent". Thomas tapped with his finger on the piece of paper in front of the cook.  
"I really don't think that an American can teach me how to cook!" protested Mrs. Patmore.  
"No one is trying to teach you how to cook, Mrs. Patmore," answered Thomas, patiently. "It's just that she would like to have this recipe done for her special dinner".  
Mrs. Levinson was coming soon, to stay for a month or so. Incidentally, she would have been there for all the weddings, at that point. And for some reason, she had thought that it would have been fun to have a Thanksgiving dinner, even if it was March. So, she had sent some American recipes that she would have liked to taste.  
"Of course, of course! There is always something!"  
"Mrs. Patmore, Mrs. Levinson is arriving in a week from now. You have all the time that you want to experiment these recipes".  
"But of course! Everything that Mr. Barrow orders! Like moving a wedding in ten days from now. Like I'm supposed to prepare everything in such a small amount of time!"  
"You know very well, Mrs. Patmore, that I don't decide these things".  
"But you don't even protest!"  
"Oh, you're right. Let me go and tell Mr. Branson that he can't get married because you don't approve!"  
"Oh, don't be silly..." Before the cook could finish the sentence, the discussion was interrupted by Mr. Bates, who was entering in the kitchen in that moment.  
"Alright, alright," said the valet, smiling softly to the pair. "What is going on here?"  
"Mr. Barrow wants me to cook Mac and Cheese! After he already told me to organize a Thanksgiving dinner in March and the wedding of Mr. Branson in ten days!"  
"And I am trying to explain to Mrs. Patmore that I am not in charge of these choices. It's not my fault if Miss Lucy is expecting a baby".  
The cook snorted, and Bates interrupted her before she could say something nasty.  
"Mrs. Patmore, Mr. Barrow is right. He doesn't have authority over these decisions".  
"No, but he could point out that it's too much to do, for me and Daisy. And also for the other servants!"  
"I didn't have to, Mrs. Patmore. Mr. Branson said from the start that he wanted something simple for his wedding. And I told you right away".  
"I can't have something simple for his wedding! Don't you understand? Everybody would think I'm not capable of cooking properly!"  
Thomas was clearly exhasperated. "Mrs. Patmore, what can I do for you? At this point, I really don't know what to say. The only thing I can do, is to temporarly hire someone to help you in the kitchen. Would that work?"  
The cook seemed to think about that. "Yes. I think that would work".  
Thomas sighed. "Great. I will add it to my list of things to do, that gets longer by the minute".  
Without waiting for an answer, he left. 

After ten minutes, Thomas heard someone knocking at the door of his pantry, and Bates entered.  
Thomas raised his head from the wine list that he was checking.  
"She didn't mean to be disrespectful, you know", said the valet.  
"Maybe," answered Thomas, raising his eyebrows. "But she would have never spoke to Mr. Carson like that".  
Bates was silent for a moment, then he indicated a chair. "May I sit?" he asked.  
"Of course," said Thomas, without even looking at him.  
"It's different, you know. She had a different relationship with Mr. Carson. And I saw Mrs. Patmore giving him a hard time anyway".   
Thomas didn't say anything, and Bates kept talking."With you is different. She knows you since you were a boy. How old were you, when you arrived at Downton? Fifteen, sixteen?"  
"Fifteen," muttered Thomas.  
"Exactly. She has more of a... maternal relationship with you, I would say. She saw you growing up".  
"Yes, I understand that. But she should understand now, that it's not making things difficult for me that they would become easier for her".  
Bates smiled. "I think Mrs. Patmore is just stressed out. And I think I know why. Before, she was preparing everything for Daisy's wedding, that was supposed to happen before everyone else's. Now... She had to put everything on hold to take care of Mr. Branson's wedding. You know how much Mrs. Patmore cares about Daisy... I think she is worried of not being able to give her the best wedding ever".  
Thomas' expression softened. "Maybe you're right. We are all stressed out. Anyway, maybe I can ask Mrs. Crawley if she knows someone to hire for a few weeks".  
"I'm sure that would be fine. As long as the new hire can help Mrs. Patmore figuring out how to cook Mac and Cheese".  
Thomas looked at Bates. "I read the recipe, Mr. Bates. Anyone could figure out how to cook Mac and Cheese. Miss Caroline, who is two years old, could figure out how to cook Mac and Cheese".  
Bates smiled. "I'm sure that Mrs. Patmore knows she was wrong. Let's make a bet. I bet that she will apologize in a few hours".  
Thomas offered his hand to Bates. "Deal".

In the end, Bates won the bet: Mrs. Patmore apologized profusely, saying that she was only worried. But Thomas didn't really care anymore: he had just received the news that Richard would have come to Mr. Branson's wedding. He couldn't wait. But first, the arrival of Mrs. Levinson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Mac and Cheese!  
> I only imagined how Mrs. Patmore would take the news of having to ccok something American.


	7. Three arrivals

Both Mrs. Levinson and Lady Edith had arrived that day.  
Thomas was happy to see again Lady Edith, her husband and little Marigold, who ran to him to give him a big hug as soon as she arrived. He didn't know what to think about Mrs. Levinson, though. She was always nice and funny, but sometimes it was difficult to be around her. Now they were all in the library, sipping their afternoon tea. It was the first time since they arrived that Thomas could take a good look at Lady Edith, and she was very pregnant. He knew that she had announced that she was expecting right after the Royal visit, a few months ago. How far along was she now? Could that become a problem?  
They were talking about that right now, luckily.  
"I'm happy that you had to anticipate your wedding, Tom", was saying Lady Edith. "Not only for your new baby, but also because... my baby will be born in a month and a half, and it would have been difficult for me to attend".  
Apparently, Mrs. Levinson had the same perplexities as Thomas, because she looked at Edith and asked: "Are you sure, my dear? You look ready to give birth".  
"Yes, I'm sure. Or, that is what mt physician says. Anyway, I would have come, of course... but breastfeeding the baby would make it more complicated".  
"Are you going to breastfeed the baby yourself?" asked Lady Mary, looking doubtful.  
"Yes, of course. That is what I did with Marigold, and..." Suddenly, her eyes went wide, as she looked at Thomas. The butler could hear the collective 'gasp'. Of course, he wasn't supposed to know.   
Lady Mary was the first one to regain composure. "Don't worry... Barrow will not say anything. Right, Barrow?" She pierced him with her eyes, waiting for an answer.  
But Mrs. Levinson anticipated him. "Oh, come on... Surely Barrow had already figured it out, like anyone else, I suppose. He doesn't look stupid at all... Right, Barrow? You don't consider yourself stupid, do you?"  
Thomas swallowed. He hated being put on the spot like that. "No, Madam. I don't consider myself stupid".  
"See?" said Mrs. Levinson. "He already knew".  
But Lady Mary kept looking at him. "Barrow?" She clearly wanted to hear him saying that.  
"I won't tell anything, My Lady".  
Lady Mary looked satisfied. "Good. Now, Tom... You said you are going to France and Italy for your honemoon, right?"  
The conversation went on normally, from that moment on. But Thomas could feel Lady Edith's glance towards him, sometimes.

  
That night, the "Thanksgiving dinner" went very well. In the end, Mrs. Patmore's Mac and Cheese had been very appreciated by everyone, and Mrs. Levinson had asked Thomas to bring the cook her compliments. The only one who had not eaten much was Lady Edith. She had been kind of quiet the entire night, and Thomas thought it was because Lady Mary and Mrs. Levinson were doing the majority of the talking. But during dessert, the real reason became clear.  
Suddenly, Lady Edith sighed loudly and got up. "I'm sorry, I... I need to go lay down". Her husband got up to help her, imitated by Tom Branson and Lord Grantham. But while they were slowly walking towards the door, opened by Thomas, Lady Edith cried out, bringing a hand to her stomach. Startled, everyone got up, and Lord Grantham ordered to Thomas: "Call Dr. Clarkson, please".  
Next to him, Lady Mary brought her hand to her mouth, saying loudly "Oh no!".  
Thomas followed her gaze to the spot on the carpet where Lady Edith had been standing until a second ago: blood.  
Oh no, indeed. 

It was getting late, and Thomas was in the servants hall with everyone else.  
"Look, I know that everyone is tired... I don't want to force you to stay here waiting for who knows how long. The next days will possibly be very tiring, so... if you want to go to bed, that is fine with me. I will personally let you know when... the baby arrives". Or when something else happens, he thought. But he didn't have the courage to say it.  
Nobody moved. Everybody stayed sitting at the table, in silence, worried for Lady Edith and the baby. After a few seconds, Thomas said again: "Fine. Daisy, maye I have some tea and biscuits to bring upstairs? All the family is in the library, I'm sure they would like something to drink".  
"Sure".   
When Thomas and Andy brought the tea in the library, with some cake and biscuits, everyone was sitting on the chairs and on the sofas, somber and worried. Lord Hexham and Lady Grantham were with Lady Edith and Dr. Clarkson. She had specifically requested her husband to stay with her, even if it wasn't customary.   
"Thank you, Barrow," said Lord Grantham, pale and tired. "You are thoughtful as usual".  
Thomas looked around. Lady Mary was sitting in a corner by herself, looking tired. He got closer to offer her a cup of tea with one of the biscuits that she liked.   
"Thank you, Barrow," she said, without raising her eyes.   
"My Lady... Dr. Clarkson has not ordered to bring Lady Edith to the hospital. That means that he is sure that everything will be fine".   
Lady Mary looked at him, surprised. "And what do you know about it?" she snapped. "I didn't know that butlers knew about medicine".  
Thomas tightened his lips. "I'm sorry, My Lady".  
Done. It was the last time he was going to be nice to her. She clearly didn't like him as butler, so from now on he would only be professional, nothing else.   
Thomas went around bringing people tea, and after a few minutes, Lady Mary got up and went to talk to him. "I'm sorry, Barrow. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You were only trying to make me feel better. But you're right. Dr. Clarkson knows what he's doing. We should trust him".  
Thomas smiled at her. "Don't worry, My Lady. It's totally understandable".  
In that moment, Lady Grantham entered in the library. She was clearly tired, but smiled a little. "It's... going well, I would say. Her physician was wrong, she is further along than what he said. Dr. Clarkson says she is at least eight month and a half".  
"I said it right away," pointed out Mrs. Levinson.   
"Yes, mama, you were right. Anyway, everything is going as it should".  
"What about the blood?" Asked Mr. Branson.  
"Dr. Clarkson said that sometimes it can happen. It doesn't mean anything".  
"So, she is going to be fine?" asked Lord Grantham.  
Lady Grantham waited a few seconds before answering. "We hope so. But it's... long".  
With that, she left again.  
Lady Mary sighed, while Tom Branson looked on the verge of tears. Of course... Thomas offered him some tea, but he refused. "Sir... Like I said to Lady Mary, Dr. Clarkson knows what he's doing".  
"I know. We should have listened to him, when Sybil gave birth... "  
Thomas didn't know how to answer to that.

After a few more hours, long like a year, the door of the library opened, and a smiling Lord Hexham entered. He was holding a baby, wrapped in a white cloth. Everyone got up and got close to him. Thomas stayed behind, of course, so he couldn't really see the little one.  
"Here is my son," said Lord Hexham, clearly moved. "He is doing great, and even Edith is doing fine. She just need to rest".  
Thomas felt a big weight off his chest. Someone clapped, maybe Mrs. Levinson, while Bertie was showing the baby around. Now, he had to go to give the good news to the other servants, so that they could get some rest. He was sure that everyone would skip breakfast, that day. 


	8. A clarification, another point of view and the most important arrival of all

The next day, after lunch, Mrs. Hughes went to search for Thomas, saying with a smile that he was wanted in the nursery. She didn't want to say more, so Thomas started walking towards the stairs. He felt a little tired yet, after the sleepless night. But there were so many things to do, he couldn't afford to take a nap. When he entered the nursery, he found Lady Mary, standing with a baby in her arms.  
She smiled at him, gesturing to get closer."I noticed that last night you didn't have a chance to meet baby Edward", said Lady Mary. "So I thought you would like to officially meet him now".   
Thomas smiled. The new son of Lady and Lord Hexham was incredibly cute. He put his finger next to the small hand of the little one, who instinctively grabbed it.  
Both him and Lady Mary chuckled. "It has become a tradition, Barrow, that I call you here to meet the new babies".  
It was true. When little Caroline was born, and knowing how much he loved children, Lady Mary had summoned him like she had done now. "Of course, probably Lady Edith would have done it herself, but..."  
"How is she?"  
Mary sighed a little. "She is going to be fine, but she needs to stay in bed for a few days. I don't know exactly what happened, because I haven't had the chance of talking to anyone yet... but apparently it was kind of complicated, and she is very weak. She is sleeping now. I hope she will be able to go to Tom's wedding, she really wanted to".  
"Let's hope so. But the important thing is that both her and the baby are fine, My Lady".  
Lady Mary smiled at him. "Of course".  
Both of them were silent for a while, then she spoke again."Barrow... is it true that you knew about Marigold?"  
Thomas hesitated. "I wouldn't say I knew, My Lady. I think I figured it out".  
Lady Mary looked somber. "It looks like I was the last one to see the truth".  
No surprise here, thought Thomas.   
"Thank you, for keeping our secrets, Barrow", said again Lady Mary  
."And I am thanking you, My Lady, for keeping my secret", answered him, with a professional smile.  
Mary smiled, knowingly. "You're very welcome, Barrow".  
"I hope that... the future will be better, for people who have a secret like mine and Lady Edith's".   
"I hope that too, Barrow. I am confident that one day, things will be different. But, speaking about your secret... Your friend, Mr. Ellis, is coming soon, right?"  
Thomas smiled. Of course she knew. "Yes, My Lady. He is coming in two days".  
"Good. He is staying here, I assume?"  
"I... Yes, My Lady. We found him a room in the attic".   
"Be careful, Barrow. You are safe here, but... be careful".   
"I will be. Thank you, My Lady".  
"And... you look very pale and tired. You didn't stay in bed this morning, like we told you to".   
"No, My Lady, I didn't. There are still many things to do for Mr. Branson's wedding, and I wanted to be sure that I had everything under control".  
Lady Mary stayed silent for a moment, like she was thinking of something. "Barrow... you don't have to prove anything, you know?"  
Thomas was confused. "What... do you mean, My Lady?"  
"I mean... that we all know that you are doing a wonderful job. And I'm sorry if sometimes I look harsh to you. Believe me, it's not that I am unsatisfied with what you do. It's just... Since I was born, Carson has been the butler. You know that we developed a strong relationship. Sometimes it just feels weird not having him here. And I guess... I let my emotions out. But you are a wonderful butler, Barrow, and I couldn't be happier".  
Thomas swallowed. He didn't expect that. "I... thank you, My Lady. I promise I will always be sure of doing the best job for you".  
Lady Mary smiled. "I'm sure you will. So, please, try not to get sick while you organize this wedding. Like I said, you don't need to prove anything. Last night was long for everyone, and you need to get some rest".  
"I will try to get some, My Lady".  
"Good. Now... do you want to hold little Edward?"

That conversation wans't the only surprised for Thomas, that day. Before dinner, Anna told him that Lady Edith wanted to speak to him. Thomas imagined what it was, and he went to the room in which she was resting, feeling a little irritated, because his job kept being interrupted. He still had to check the wine that had been delivered, and to see if they had enough chairs, and...  
"Lady Hexham... Good evening", said Thomas, entering.  
"Good evening to you, Barrow", said Lady Edith with a small smile. She was pale, sitting with her back against a few pillows, and her golden curls were untidy, creating a contrast with the candid nightgown. "I heard that you met my little Edward today".  
"I did, Lady Hexham. Congratulations. He is a very cute baby".  
"Thank you," said Edith, and for a moment her eyes sparkled with joy. "Would you please seat, Barrow? I need to talk to you, and I would feel more comfortable if you were sitting".  
"I... if it's what you want, Lady Hexham".  
"It is. Thank you".  
Thomas sat in the chair next to the bed, and waited. He thought he knew what Lady Edith wanted to talk to him, about...  
"I... Is it true that you knew about Marigold?"  
There it was. "I didn't exactly know it, My Lady. I think I understood it. It was clear that you loved her very much, and honestly... it wouldn't be the first time that a young, unmarried woman gets herself a "ward". I heard many stories like yours".   
Lady Edith looked worried. "That means that also the other servants figured it out..." she commented.  
Thomas hesitated. "Well... I think so, My Lady".  
Lady Edith lowered her eyes. "I was hoping that my secret was safe".  
"But your secret is safe, My Lady. You know how we are loyal to you and to your family. None of us will say anything".  
Edith looked at him, smiling a little. "I know, I didn't mean to imply... But... it takes nothing, you know? A gossip like this will travel fast. You don't even notice, and one day everybody knows it".  
Thomas stayed silent for a second. "My Lady, may I ask you.... what would happen if that was the case?"  
Lady Hexham looked at him, curious. "What do you mean?"   
"I mean... if one day your secret were out, and everybody knew the truth about miss Marigold... what do you think it would happen?"  
Edith seemed to think about it. "You're right, Barrow. Honestly, I think nothing will happen. Lord Hexham already knows it, of course, as does his mother. And my family knows it too. I don't... I think I would be on the gossip pages for a while; and maybe some people would refuse to come to dinner to our house... but you're right, I don't think there will be any bad consequence, in the end. Thank you, Barrow. Really, I never saw things from this point of view. Thank you so much".  
Lady Edith was smiling, and she looked a little less pale. Thomas was perplexed, he honestly didn't think he had said anything so revolutionary... but well, if that was what she needed to hear, he was glad he had helped her.  
"You are very welcome, My Lady. I'm glad to know I have given you another perspective. Do you need anything else from me?"  
"No, Barrow. Thank you so much again".  
"I'll let you rest, then, My Lady. Please, ring if you need anything".  
There were still so many things to do. Richard was coming soon, and Thomas wanted to have a few hours free to spend with him.

Two days later, almost everything was done and ready from Mr. Branson's wedding. Thomas culdn't contain his excitement anymore. Richard was about to arrive. He was coming by car from London, because he wanted to be free to come and go as he wanted without having to depend on the train schedule. Thomas was going around without stopping a minute, like anyone else. Until Baxter got close to him smiling, and whispered: "A car just arrived. Maybe you want to go out".   
Thomas felt his heart beating faster, and almost ran to the servants' entrance. Richard was coming out of the car, with a big smile, just for him. 


	9. A temporary goodbye

Thomas was looking around.   
Everything was perfect. Mrs. Patmore had made some of her best food ever, the orchestra was playing different songs that everyone could dance to, and all the guests seemed to have a lot of fun.   
And Richard was there, with him. He was currently gettng some food from the fancy buffet, and winked at Thomas when he noticed that the butler was looking at him. Thomas smiled. Everyone was relaxed. Miss Lucy (now Mrs. Branson) had been a lady's maid for a long time, so of course the majority of her guests were... well, other maids and footmen, and her friends from the place where she lived with Lady Bagshaw. They didn't care what kind of china were the plates, they only wanted to have fun with good company.  
Mr. Branson was smiling like Thomas had never seen him. While Barrow was watching, Mr. Branson got close to Richard, and started talking to him. Thomas decided it was time to go check on the family: Lady Edith was still weak, but she had been able to go to the wedding, and was currently sitting on a comfortable chair, talking and laughing with her husband.   
"You did a very good job, Barrow", said Lord Grantham, coming closer to him from behind.  
Thomas smiled professionally. "I couldn't have done it with the help of everyone else, My Lord".   
"That may be true, but you still did incredibly good, considering that you had only two weeks. This looks like a wedding organized in a year".  
Thomas felt himself blushing. "Thank you My Lord".  
"I hope that you will have fun during your brief vacation with Mr. Ellis," kept talking Lord Grantham. "I know that Tom gave you a few free days".  
Now Thomas was really blushing. "I... yes, My Lord. But I'm going to take them after Daisy's wedding. I want to be sure that everything is good for that one too".  
"I admire you, Barrow. You are doing an amazing job".  
Thomas had never been praised so much during his years at Downton. He loved that. He smiled again at Richard, who was still talking with Mr. Branson, and went to get himself a drink. 

They didn't have a lot of time to spend together during the wedding. But the next day, after most of the guests had left (except the ones that were spending the night) Richard and Thomas were cuddling on the butler's bed, after a night full of love, that they actually had spend for the majority of the time in the guest room that was assigned to Richard.   
Thomas' position as a butler had different perks. like a bigger bed and the possibility of taking decisions. He had used it to correct something that he had never liked: the lack of locks on the servants' doors. Now everyone had one, and his lock was currently closed, so that no one could have surprised them. Sadly, Their time was almost up: Richard was supposed to drive back to London soon.  
"Don't be sad," he told Thomas, while putting on his clothes. "You know, I haven't told you yet, but I will be here again next week".  
"Really?" asked Thomas, with a big smile.   
"Yes. Daisy officially invited me to her wedding".  
"Really?" Thomas looked surprised. "I didn't know that you two had become friends".  
"She is not doing it for me, but for you".  
"What do you mean?"  
"She wants you to be happy, and so she found a way to make you happy, for another day. It's really nice, your friends really love you".  
Thomas smiled bitterly. "Yes, well... it wasn't always like this".  
"You said it other times... you will have to tell me the entire story".  
Thomas kissed him. "I am loved now. And that is what it's important".  
Richard smiled, and kissed him back.  
Right in that moment, someone started knocking on the door, pretty frantically. "Mr. Barrow... Are you here?" It was Anna's voice.   
Thomas opened the door, and found Anna and Bates in front of him. She was pale, and they both looked agitated. "I'm sorry - started Anna - But I really need to go to London now. I have to see that doctor..."  
"Yes, sure, I..."  
"Do you need me to bring you to London?" said Richard, getting close to the door, next to Thomas. "I'm about to drive there, I can bring you with me".  
Anna and her husband didn't seem surprised to find him in Barrow's room, half dressed. They just looked at each other, like to think about the possibility.  
"Will you do it?" asked Anna.  
"Of course, it will be faster than the train, and I can bring you straight where you have to go".  
"Is there a place for me in your car, Mr. Ellis?" asked Bates, rather anxious.  
"Yes, definitely. I'll just need to... finish to put on my clothes. Take everything you need and wait for me near my car".  
After they left, Richard closed the door again. "Well, it looks like I have to go right now".  
Thomas smiled. "It' nice of you to bring Anna and Bates to London. Please, tell them to call us to let us know how everything goes. Even if I don't know exactly what they have to do, I think it has to do with her being with child".  
"Sure, I'll tell them. And I'll see you next week anyway". With a last kiss, Richard grabbed his suitcase and left. 


	10. A surprise

After Richard's departure, Thomas tried to make up for the time he had dedicated to him. There was still a lot to do, because some of the guests were staying for a few days. And there was also Daisy's wedding that needed to be organized (even if Mrs. Patmore was doing the majority of the work).   
Currently, the butler and Andy were busy cleaning the silverware pieces and putting them back. That night there was going to be a nice dinner with Lord and Lady Hexham, Mrs. Levinson, and some of the other gursts that came for the wedding. Mr. Branson and his new wife had just left to spend a few days at the beach. They didn't feel comfortable at the idea of traveling far from Downton, considering that she was expecting. They were going to have a "real" honeymoon after having the baby.   
Thomas had already ordered the maids to prepare the new room for Mr. Branson and Mrs. Branson. They had decided to stay at Downton, but to spend sometime during the year at Brampton estate, considering that one day they would have inherited it. After a few hours, Richard telephoned to let him know that he had arrived safely in London, and he had dropped off Anna and Bates at the doctor's office. They were probably coming back two days later. That meant that Thomas was going to act as a valet for Lord Grantham. Just a few days before seeing Richard again, for Daisy's wedding. He couldn't wait. 

Dinner that night was going really well. The food was amazing, the guests looked happy and the conversation was polite. Mrs. Levinson was "colorful" as usual, and often Thomas found himself smiling at what she was saying. At some point, the conversation switched on Marigold. One of the guests, Mrs. Gilmore, started praising Lady Edith for taking her in. "She is such a cute, nice little girl," was saying Mrs. Gilmore. "It was very nice of you to give her a house and a family".  
Thomas could see that Lady Edith looked tense for a moment. Then, after a glance to her husband, she answered, alla at once: "Actually... Marigold is my daughter".  
Barrow almost dropped the wine he was serving to Lord Grantham, who gasped. Somebody, maybe Lady Mary, dropped their fork.   
"Edith!" exclaimed Lady Grantham. Everybody else was silent.   
"I'm sorry, mama," said Lady Edith, looking at her mother. "I just can't lie anymore. I don't think it's right, for me, for Marigold, and even for Bertie, who is like a father for her".  
Then, she looked at Mrs. Gilmore and spoke again. "Before meeting Bertie, I was with someone else. Someone who lived in London. We were going to get married. But then he died. And I was expecting Marigold already. He died before even knowing he was going to be a father. So I... I decided to pretend that Marigold was my ward, to avoid the scandal. But now... I don't want to do that anymore. I don't feel like I did something wrong, and I shouldn't hide who Marigold really is".   
Everybody looked at each other, without speaking. Luckily, Mrs. Levinson decided to break the uncomfortable silence. "That's very true, my dear. You are an amazing woman and a perfect mother, and Marigold will be proud of you".  
"Yes, she will," said Mrs. Crawley with a smile. "Thank you for sharing your story with us, Edith. I think you are very brave".  
Lady Edith and her husband smiled at each other. Then, he spoke for the first time. "We talked about it, and we decided that Edith is going to officially recognize Marigold as her daughter. And I will adopt her. So, everything is going to be fine".  
Thomas could see that Lady Grantham was smiling.   
Mrs. Gilmore cleared her throat, and then spoke again. "I... I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, Lady Hexham. It wasn't my intention. But I do think that you are very brave. And no, you didn't do anything wrong. This things happen, and Marigold is lucky to have you and Bertie as her family".  
Lady Edith smiled openly. "Thank you. Thank you so much. But I have to say that probably I would have never been able to decide that, if it wasn't for the advice that Barrow gave me".  
Thomas paled, while he could feel Lord Grantham's eyes fixed on him. Oh, God. 

After dinner, Thomas went to Lord Grantham dressing room to help him getting ready for bed. When he entered, Lord Grantham looked at him without saying anything, and Thomas proceeded to get his night clothes from the armoir.  
"So... it looks like you helped Lady Edith", said Lord Grantham. Then, nothing.Thomas understood it was his turn to say something.   
"Yes, My Lord, I... I'm sorry, I honestly didn't imagine something like that. Lady Edith was upset the other day about her secret, and I only told her that... probably it wouldn't be a tragedy if people figured it out. She mus have thought..."  
"I think Lady Edith is very brave," interrupted him Lord Grantham.   
"I think so too, My Lord". Then, Robert turned to look at him, smiling.  
"If you really helped her taking this decision, I want to thank you, Barrow".  
Thomas lowered his eyes. "I really don't think I did anything, My Lord. But thank you".  
"Well, Lady Edith seems to think different. She grew up a lot".  
Robert was looking in front of him, like reflecting on his own life."She did, My Lord. But I would like to say that... it's also thanks to her family, and Lord Hexham, that she became who she is now".  
Lord Grantham looked at his butler. "Thank you, Barrow". 


	11. Changes are coming... maybe

Thomas was very tired. The preparations for Daisy's wedding were weirdly exhausting. Mostly because Mrs. Patmore was incredibly nervous, and was making everyone's life difficult by changing ideas every second. Thomas could understand it: Daisy was like a daughter for Mrs. Patmore, it was only normal that she wanted everything to be perfect. But there was no reason to fret so much. The staff was professional as usual, and if they were capable of organizing the marriage of a Lady or a Lord, were perfectly capable of organizing the marriage of a kitchen maid.  
He was slowly and heavily walking up the stairs to the attic, in order to change his uniform. He had spilled tea on it, during the weird tea break in the afternoon. Weird because Anna kept looking furtively at him, turning towards her husband every time Thomas was reciprocating her glance. He thought about asking her what was going on, but he felt so tired he didn't even want to know. Probably she wanted to ask him for a few days off, or something like that.  
Anyway, he really had to take that shirt off and to wash it soon, or the stain would have been difficult to remove. He open the door of his room and he jumped, almost screaming.  
Somebody was sitting on his bed.  
It was just a fraction of a second: Thomas would have recognized that face anywhere, even in the dark of the winter evening.  
He closed the door, and immediately hugged Richard Ellis, who was now standing in front of him with a smile on his beautiful face.  
"What are you doing here?" asked Thomas, still surprised. "You weren't supposed to come for another few days!"  
"I wanted to surprise you," smiled Richard.  
"But... are you... you won't have problems with your job?"  
Richard smiled again. "No, I won't. There is almost nothing to do in these weeks. And I had different free days that I haven't used yet. I said I needed some time to go see my parents, but that I would come back immediately if I was needed. I don't expect that to happen. They seemed even too relieved to see me go. If I never came back I don't think no one would complain".  
Thomas frowned. "What do you mean?"  
"Well... you know that me and my colleagues are not exactly friends. Not like you and everyone else here".  
Thomas blushed. "I'm not sure that..."  
"I don't know what happened in the past," interrupted Richard. "But I can see now that you and the other servant here have an amazing relationship. One that I never had, working at Buckingham Palace".  
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Thomas, sincerely.  
"I'm not. We'll see what happens in the future, but maybe it's time for me to search for something else".  
Thomas smiled, hies eyes bright. "Maybe something else here?"  
"I was actually thinking of moving to America..."  
Seeing Thomas paling, Richard smiled again. "I was only teasing you. Yes, I was thinking of searching for something in York. But it's too early to think about it, yet. And first...".  
"What?"  
"Maybe there is another good news".  
"Which one?" Thomas felt like a kid in front of Santa Claus.  
Richard smiled. "It's too early yet. "I'm waiting for a confirmation. Then I will tell you. But now let's go downstairs. I want to thank Anna for letting me enter".  
"Oh, that's why she was so weird!"  
Richard chuckled, taking Thomas by the hand and guiding him outside his own room. At that point, Thomas didn't care about his shirt anymore. 

That night, dinner was a the normal affair. Except for the fact that now Mrs. Branson was with them, of course. And... the Dowager wasn't coming anymore. Thomas had noticed how lately she looked paler and smaller, exactly like Mrs. Gilmore, his elderly neighbor when he was a kid. She was a widow, exactly like the Dowager. But she wasn't rich like her. She had some savings after a life working as a tailor; and her children were all helping her. Thomas was sent by his mom to ask her if she needed anything almost everyday. Mrs. Gilmore was always kind: he was helping her taking out the trash or sweeping in front of her door, an she was giving him something everything. Sometimes a penny, sometimes a biscuits or a fresh pastry, sometimes something else. She had always refused to go to live with her daughter, saying that she intended to die in the house where she was living with her late husband. And that was what happened. One day, she was found dead in bed by her daughter, who was bringing her grocery.  
Thomas felt sad, and also surprised at this feeling. He never thought he liked the Dowager, but at the same time, she had been a constant presence in his life. She was always there, and now it looked this wasn't going to be true for long.  
Thomas would have liked to ask His Lordship, but he was afraid of overstepping his boundaries. 

Thomas sighed, thinking that anyway, Richard was there. And he had a surprise for him. Maybe. He didn't know what surprise it was, but he couldn't help but hoping... "Barrow? Barrow!" Thomas was yanked from his thoughts: Branson was looking at him with an interrogative expression on his face, pointing at his wine glass. Of course.  
"I'm sorry, Sir", said Thomas getting closer to pour him some wine.  
"Is anything the matter?" asked him Mrs. Branson, smiling at him. She was very nice, and Thomas liked her a lot. She was one of them until a few weeks earlier, and she didn't have any ounce of arrogance in her.  
"No, Mrs. Branson. I just got lost in my thoughts".  
She smiled again, and the dinner kept going on. For Thomas, who wanted to go back to Richard, seemed forever. 

After what looked like hours, Thomas and Richard were in bed together, in Richard's room. It was on the opposite side of the rooms of Albert and Andy, so they could relax a little. Richard put an arm around Thomas' shoulders. "So, about that surprise..."  
"Yes? Is it good?" asked Thomas, looking at him.  
"It is. Do you know the African tour with the King..."  
"Yes. You should leave in the next few days".  
"I'm not going anymore" Richard smiled, seeing Thomas' bewildered face. "I asked if I could stay between York and London, taking care of business here. The King agreed that it would actually be better to travel with less people. So, only my colleague is going. I'm not".  
Thomas felt so happy that he wasn't capable of saying anything: he hugged Richard tight in the darkness of the room.


End file.
